Specialized Studies for Career Advancement

Career changers and professionals seeking to advance within their organization can create a customized program of study to meet their goals. Students in this program collaborate with an adviser to develop a specialized academic plan of four to eight courses that capitalizes on their background and that suits their professional and personal objectives. For example, a student might build a plan comprised of business courses from different subjects (such as accounting, finance, and marketing), or of a grouping of courses across disciplines (such as information systems and communication studies).

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Students interested in creating a specialized program to prepare for graduate or professional school and PhD programs should explore the Pregraduate Specialized Studies post-baccalaureate program.

 

Program Details and Areas of Study

Program Details
Time to Completion
  • Two quarters to two years, based on your goals and number of courses
Location
  • Courses are available on Northwestern's Evanston and Chicago campuses
Times
  • Evening and Saturday courses
Advising
  • Work with an adviser to develop a specialized academic program
Application
  • When applying, select Specialized Studies as Certificate Program

Areas of Study

Create a plan of study to suit your needs, choosing courses from across the following academic subjects: 

  • Accounting
  • Anthropology
  • Biological Sciences
  • Communication Studies
  • Economics
  • English
  • Finance
  • History
  • Information Systems
  • Journalism
  • Marketing
  • Mathematics
  • Organization Behavior
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Radio/TV/Film
  • Sociology

Specialized Studies Courses

Explore all undergraduate courses for descriptions, schedules, and locations. Classes are held on Northwestern's Evanston or downtown Chicago campuses, or online, and meet once weekly in the evening or on Saturdays.

Specialized Studies for Career Advancement Tuition

Post-baccalaureate students at Northwestern's School of Professional Studies pay per course. For more information about financial obligations and tuition, please visit the Tuition page.

Admission for Specialized Studies for Career Advancement

In addition to completing an online application, you'll also need to submit a few supplemental materials. A list of requirements for admission including application deadlines and tips on how to apply can be found on the Admission page.

Specialized Studies for Career Advancement Registration Information

Whether you're a first-time registrant or current and returning student, all students register using our online student registration and records systems. Important information about registering for courses at SPS, including registration timelines and adding or dropping courses in which you are already enrolled, can be found on the Registration Information page.


Find out more about the Specialized Studies for Career Advancement